MISSION, OR – The Board of Trustees, following the recommendation of Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center as the public health authority for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), is rescinding the mask mandate for all indoor and outdoor public settings throughout the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The mask mandate has been in effect since Friday, August 13, 2021. The removal of the mandate will be effective March 11, 2022 at 4PM or on such earlier date as recommended by Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center
The decision came by way of a polled resolution which is expected to be ratified at the BOT’s March 7th meeting. The recommendation from Yellowhawk stems from thorough review of national and local trends as well as cases of regional hospitalizations, all of which are in decline.
“I trust the removal of the mask mandate because it is based on good data and Yellowhawk’s consistency with the state,” said BOT Chair Kat Brigham. She continued “Masks will be removed but please continue to follow the guidelines that continue to remain in place. If you would like to continue to wear your masks, we support you and your safety measures.”
The Board of Trustees will continue to fund the COVID 19 screeners to monitor for signs and symptoms of illness in the Nixyaawii Governance Center until April 29, 2022, but that date could also be subject to change should new information or recommendations come from Yellowhawk for the Board of Trustees consideration.
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‼️Please note: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is still requiring masks for public transportation service to stay in effect until March 18th, a week after the end of the CTUIR mask mandate. This will pertain to Kayak staff and riders.
Masks will still be required when visiting Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center until further notice.